Second-Gen Drug for HCM Emerges, Nipping at Mavacamten’s Heels
A second-generation cardiac myosin inhibitor showed promise for the treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in the phase II REDWOOD-HCM trial. In the dose-finding study, 10 weeks of treatment with aficamten brought resting left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradients down significantly compared with placebo before a 2-week washout period returned gradients to baseline, reported Martin […]
Deadly Arrhythmias Less of a Risk for HF Patients on Dapagliflozin
An SGLT2 inhibitor seemed to offer protection from reduced ventricular arrhythmias in heart failure patients, according to a post hoc analysis of DAPA-HF. In that trial, the cohort randomized to dapagliflozin (Farxiga) had a reduced first occurrence of any ventricular arrhythmia, resuscitated cardiac arrest, or sudden death (5.9% vs 7.4% for placebo group; HR 0.79, […]
FDA Authorizes IL-6 Inhibitor for Severe COVID-19 Patients
Tocilizumab (Actemra), an interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitor, was authorized to treat certain hospitalized COVID-19 patients, the FDA announced late on Thursday. The drug received emergency use authorization (EUA) for hospitalized patients ages 2 and up who are receiving systemic corticosteroids and require supplemental oxygen, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). It is […]